AGP Executive Report

Budget & Poverty: Ireland’s Children’s Rights Alliance chief Tanya Ward urges Budget 2027 to tackle child poverty fast, citing ESRI data showing 1 in 10 children deprived and 200,000 living below the poverty line, and calls for targeted boosts like higher child payments and help with childcare and energy costs. Publishing & Culture: A new interview with German writer Mithu Sanyal digs into how novels, journalism, and scholarship intersect in debates on race, gender, identity, and “shitstorms.” New Books: Mr. Kind’s picture book “Tina’s Trumpet” follows a lonely girl and the stray dog who becomes her family, while Ann Patchett’s “Whistler” gets a spotlight review for its museum-set reunion plot. Middle-Grade Deal: Simon & Schuster lands Danielle Jawando’s middle-grade fantasy debut in a six-figure overnight pre-empt. Kids Reading Picks: Children’s Books Ireland shares its “Best Irish Books of 2026” guide highlights for ages 0–12. Libraries & Literacy: Ghana Publishers Association marks International Literacy Day 2026 with a push for literacy as a right and a driver of opportunity. Education Pressure: A PISA 2025 report reports steep global drops in reading and math, adding urgency to reading-focused efforts.

Education Policy: The U.S.-style “reading overhaul” story hits Philly: teachers report phonics gaps, not enough time to read full books, and weak support for students who fall behind, even as district leaders say they’ve added flex days and reshaped materials. Publishing & Rights: In Poland, banks must revisit rejected fraud claims under EU rules, a reminder that “authorized” vs “authenticated” can decide whether money comes back. AI & Books: Sony Music and Warner Chappell sue Anthropic over alleged use of copyrighted songs to train Claude, adding to the growing fight over what AI can copy for training. Book Culture: A mother-daughter Greek-American history novel, reconstructed from letters and recipes, lands in the California State Library’s permanent collection. Local Literary Life: Grand Forks muralist Paul Archer unveils a Dolly Parton tribute mural. Author Events: Ibram X. Kendi brings “Chain of Ideas” to Lawrence for a Sept. 14 talk, with copies sold and signed at The Raven Book Store. Tech & Reading: A new glossary explains AI terms like “opaque recurrence,” aiming to make the fast-moving field easier to follow.

K-Book Week in Paris: Korea’s Culture Ministry is bringing 130 Korean titles to Galerie Joseph for “K-Book Week,” running through Sept. 18, with picture-book and literary showcases plus author and publisher rights talks tied to 140 years of Korea–France ties. Rights & publishing money fights: Writers are pushing back over how publishers and agents are claiming shares from Anthropic’s $1.5B copyright settlement, saying some claims don’t match the deal terms for reverted or out-of-print rights. Community reading culture: Jakarta’s “silent book club” scene is spreading, with groups like Baca Bareng gathering in malls to read together in near-total quiet. Book-to-screen pipeline: SACC’s Book2Screen Challenge is opening submissions (until Oct. 1) to turn Arabic books into animated IP, inviting publishers to pitch novels, graphic works, and children’s series. Local festival spotlight: Ithaca is Books returns for its sixth year with downtown events, panels, signings, and bookstore partnerships. Education funding with books in mind: The Philippines’ Expanded Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 12325) includes allowances for books and supplies for eligible students.

AI Copyright Fight: Authors say publishers are trying to claim more than their share from the $1.5B Anthropic settlement, after writers reported surprise payment claims tied to older or reverted titles. Publishing & Rights Enforcement: Nigeria’s Copyright Commission seized about N7 million in suspected pirated books in a Garki Market raid, citing intelligence-led action to protect authors and right holders. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Audible previewed a multilingual adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Venice, with Jonathan Bailey as Dracula and Mina centered as the story’s driving force. Comics Sales Watch: Japan’s Oricon monthly print ranking for August put Kingdom volume 80 at #1, with Blue Lock and The Apothecary Diaries manga close behind. Literary Community Loss: Tributes continue for BBC journalist-author Stephen Walker, remembered for major Northern Ireland biographies and decades of reporting. Local Author Events: Charter Books announced sailing memoir author Cole Brauer for a Sept. 16 event tied to her First Light release.

Publishing & Rights: A new Philippines law (RA 12325) expands tertiary education support for 4Ps high school graduates, covering tuition, fees, and even allowances for books and supplies. Book Culture & Freedom to Read: A public backlash over readers being attacked for choosing controversial books (including The Diary of a Young Girl and Malala Yousafzai’s work) spotlights the gap between legal freedom and feeling safe reading in public. International Reading Trends: At Russia’s Moscow International Book Fair, Chinese literature is surging in popularity, with publishers like Eksmo pushing translated titles—especially historical and fantasy settings. Author Spotlight: Tracy Borman talks about her Tudor-focused theatre tour, promising a more human, less mythologized look at Henry VII and Henry VIII. Book-to-World Connections: A Maltese translation of Luigi Garlando’s Gowl! 1: Kick-Off brings the football-everyone-plays series to new readers. Literary Loss: Resil Mojares, a key historian behind the Philippines’ “first Holy Mass” site dispute, has died at 83. Media & Memoir: Dolly Parton’s death at 80 is driving fresh attention to her legacy, including her literacy work.

Publishing & Books on the Ground: New Mexico’s National Book Festival picks spotlight the Gila National Forest, with Caroline Starr Rose’s youth title “The Burning Season” and Philip Connors’ “The Mountain Knows the Mountain: A Fire Watch Diary” both tied to life on fire lookouts. Author & Legacy: Robin Morgan, the child star turned feminist poet, editor, and Women’s Media Center co-founder, has died at 85, with tributes underscoring her role in second-wave feminism. Book Culture & Community: A new children’s series, “The Chronicles of a Guinea Pig 2,” brings guinea-pig adventures to Maine’s Cundy’s Harbor, while local festivals like Belmont Bookshop’s literary weekend keep author events front and center. Reading, Tech & Well-Being: A new book interview spotlights “Screen Wise,” arguing screens beyond social media are shaping teens, and another feature warns meditation can backfire for some people. Sports & Adaptation Buzz: “Reacher” is unlikely to adapt Lee Child’s “61 Hours,” while Oasis reunion documentary “Don’t Look Back In Anger” aims to recreate the band’s comeback magic on screen.

Publishing & Politics: HarperCollins India will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging on Nov. 10 after a Penguin India dispute, with the controversy now framed as an author–publisher disagreement. AI & Copyright: The Seattle Times and Newsday sued Microsoft and OpenAI over alleged unauthorized scraping of their reporting to train AI. Science & Identity: Lise Barnéoud’s Hidden Guests explores microchimerism—migrating cells that can blur ideas of ancestry and self—shortlisted for the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. Books & Culture: A documentary, Yu & Me, follows a Manhattan Chinatown bookstore’s survival after a fire, spotlighting community-run resilience. Reading Life: UK literacy advocates push for better school reading habits as children’s pleasure reading declines. Gaming Books: D&D’s Arcana Unleashed adds eight official backgrounds for 5.5e.

Publishing & Adaptations: Venice’s Book Adaptation Rights Market is showing how studios and streamers are buying screen rights earlier, with publishers pitching full catalogs as adaptation talks start before books even hit shelves. Major Book Deal: HarperCollins has confirmed it will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging on Nov. 10 after a dispute involving Penguin India. Book-to-Screen Casting: Netflix has begun production on Dan Brown’s The Secret of Secrets, with Morgan Spector as Robert Langdon and Rebecca Hall as Katherine Solomon. Local Book Events: Flutterbuy Books & More will host a signing with C.A.M. Muñoz for The Compulsive Writer (Oct. 17). Libraries & Community: Morgantown Public Library rolls out September programming, including teen crafting for local causes and multiple D&D and anime clubs. Education & Reading Culture: A look at how 9/11 still shapes schools highlights ongoing conversations about safety and trauma. Bookish Culture: The UN voted to move away from the Mercator map toward Equal Earth to better reflect Africa’s size.

Publishing Power Shift: HarperCollins India will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love on Nov. 10, after Penguin Random House India backed out amid a dispute over editorial changes—PRHI says it was still willing to publish and denies the author refused edits. Children’s Books Deal: Templar Books acquired two more titles in Harriet Howe and Katie Cottle’s Little Wolf series, including Little Wolf’s Big Huff (Sept. 2026) and Little Wolf’s First Day (paperback Aug. 2027). Reading Future Debate: In Seoul, Millie’s Library marks 10 years and argues AI may change how people read, but reading will “create questions,” not disappear. Local Community Libraries: A Bluewater Rise family in Canada built a Little Free Library in their front yard, already drawing donations and weekly surprises for neighbors. Tech + Books Tension: A piece on remote work’s “hidden cost” and another on AI’s role in summarizing books both underline how modern life is reshaping attention and habits around reading.

Feminism in mourning: Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. and a defining force in second-wave feminism, died at 92, prompting tributes across media and politics. Publishing & culture: A new West Chester fantasy shop, Leaves & Lore, opened to long lines and near-sellout crowds, underscoring continued reader demand for curated physical books. AI and books: A major report says AI firms have been buying, scanning, and destroying rare books for training, reigniting fears about cultural loss and copyright fallout. Book sales spotlight (Canada): Michelle Good’s Eliza Sunshine tops Canadian fiction, while Cory Doctorow’s The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI stays No. 1 in Canadian nonfiction. Community events: The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta announced its 35th book festival lineup, and Iowa’s One of Us horror fest returns with Pulitzer winner Daniel Kraus. Adaptations: Disney is developing a Percy Jackson spin-off based on the bestselling fantasy trilogy.

AI & Copyright: The U.S. Justice Department urged a judge to reject the New York Times’ copyright claims against OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing limits on AI training would hurt U.S. creative and scientific progress. Tech & Schools: New York City announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for grades 2-K through 8, while allowing limited, supervised use for older students. Publishing & Bookselling: Amazon Prime Video is producing a live-action global adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries, streaming exclusively in 2028. Pop Culture Meets Books: HBO confirmed a decade-long Harry Potter TV series premiering Dec. 25, with an extended trailer offering a first look inside Hogwarts. Local Book Culture: Port Townsend will host its First Saturday Art Walk, and Britain’s National Trust Felbrigg Hall marks 30 years of its second-hand bookshop with a weekend book fair. Author Spotlight: Gilbert wedding photographer Nikki Hutchings debuts romance novel A Second Shot. Industry Pressure: Ukraine’s “Book Country” festival was postponed to spring due to safety risks.

Community Reading Events: North Adams and Clarksburg libraries team up for the inaugural Northern Berkshire Author and Book Festival Sept. 9 at North Adams Public Library, with 50+ authors and free admission. Used-Book Fundraiser: Spencertown Academy’s 21st Festival of Books runs Sept. 4-7 with a giant used-book sale, author talks, and a kids’ program. International Book Trade: The 27th Baghdad International Book Fair opens with 600+ publishers, strong attendance, and Oman as guest of honor. Publishing & AI Policy: The U.S. DOJ backs OpenAI in the New York Times copyright fight, arguing training on copyrighted news is “fair use” and vital to prosperity and national security. Tech Privacy: Norway moves to tighten rules on smart glasses, targeting facial recognition in public spaces. Book Culture & Literacy: Tom Tracy Books launches the “Vibe Village Book-n-Build” kit for ages 6-12, pairing an emotional literacy book with a STEM build and lesson plan. Awards & Recognition: Canadian authors Jonathan Cheng and Eric T. Jennings land on the Cundill History Prize shortlist for nonfiction history titles. Local Author Spotlight: Andre Hardy will discuss and sign his debut crime novel “Tear the City Down” at Vroman’s Sept. 2.

Publishing Appointments: Faber promotes YA editor Ama Badu to senior commissioning editor, signaling fresh momentum for its children’s and YA list. Book-to-Screen: Great Island has optioned Clíodhna O’Sullivan’s romantasy hit Her Hidden Fire for an eight-part YA series adaptation. Author Events & Global Reach: Korean novelist Kim Ho-yeon is set to meet Filipino readers at MIBF 2026, with talks and a National Book Store signing. Bestsellers Watch: Freida McFadden lands another chart-topper, while Robert Kiyosaki—author of Rich Dad Poor Dad—says he’s $1.2 billion in debt and warns followers not to copy his strategy. Literacy & Culture: Indigenous Literacy Day spotlights “Country is our teacher” through bilingual books, performances, and a new film. Book Trade & Policy: UK booksellers brace for an earlier Super Thursday (Sept. 10) as the late-August release cycle heats up. Controversial History in Books: A new book revisits the WWII-era assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and asks whether it was “worth it.”

AI & Copyright Clash: Sony and Warner Music Publishers sue Anthropic over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted lyrics and sheet music to train Claude, following the company’s earlier $1.5B books-related settlement. Used-Book Market Pressure: Booksellers warn that AI giants are shredding millions of secondhand books for training, raising new fears for bulk orders and resale supply. New Releases & Reading Culture: HarperCollins’ Dey Street publishes Tears for Fears’ Roland Orzabal’s “Welcome to My Life,” an “astrological memoir,” while Sibylline Press debuts Liza Losada’s dark fantasy “Ink Honey Blossom.” Community Literacy Grants: Rotary clubs back local reading initiatives, including a Farmington grant that equips grief-support resources for rural schools. Libraries Under Strain: A report says political attacks are pushing public libraries to “breaking point,” as schools and districts face ongoing book challenges. Ukraine Schoolbooks Hit: Russian strikes destroy millions of books stored for Ukraine’s return to school. Book Events: Sisters Festival of Books spotlights Central Oregon writers with author talks, workshops, and a kids’ story time.

AI & Booksellers: Canadian used bookstores are warning about “mysterious” bulk orders tied to fears that physical books are being scanned for AI training and then discarded, after Anthropic-related reporting and a U.S. lawsuit spotlighted destructive scanning. Publishing Careers: Wildfire Books has appointed Kat Burdon as senior commissioning editor, starting Oct. 5, 2026. Ukraine War & Education: Ukraine says Russian forces trapped about 2,500 troops on the Kinburn Spit, while strikes have also targeted book supply lines ahead of the new school term. Local Government & Finance: Highlands County, Florida is expected to hire an outside auditor (Clifton Larson Allen) for a five-year, $1 million contract to cover FY 2026–2030 audits. Children’s Books & Community: Punahou Senior student Nikhil Wong is spotlighting Make-a-Wish Hawaii kids in a new children’s book, while Milwaukee’s Literacy Services and partners staged a fifth annual free library giveaway drawing about 500 visitors and distributing thousands of books. Author News: Wendell Berry, the Kentucky farmer-poet and environmentalist, has died at 92.

AI & Copyright Clash: Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell sue Anthropic over alleged unauthorized training on tens of thousands of songs, with claims tied to pirated music and massive damages. Tech, Business & Books: Nvidia’s “get paid twice” chip-revenue plan drew antitrust worries and was paused, while a separate report highlights how corporate profits hit record highs as real pay lags. Education Access: Lagos faces rising tax-clearance costs for secondary school entry, and Ghana students feel hostel fees squeeze as officials move to rein in private housing hikes. Libraries & Reading Life: Piedmont Regional Library System launches Comics Plus for unlimited digital comics, manga, and graphic novels; Storytimes resume at Stillwater Public Library; and Qatar National Library rolls out a September lineup mixing mentorship, AI in education, and literature. Publishing in the Real World: Russia-linked strikes destroy millions of Ukraine school books, while a Colorado court recommends $60K in a book-copying copyright case. Local Book Culture: A used-books shop spotlight features Apport Used Books’ Ben Roylance, plus multiple author events and poetry prize announcements.